Exploring Holistics, Qlik Sense & Visivo

Holistics vs. Qlik Sense vs. Visivo

Compare key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Holistics, Qlik Sense, Visivo. This comprehensive analysis will help you make an informed decision for your data visualization needs.

Quick Comparison

Key features and capabilities at a glance

Feature	Holistics	Qlik Sense	Visivo
Deployment Model	Cloud SaaS (Holistics 4), On-prem enterprise, Private cloud	Client-managed (Windows), Client-managed (Kubernetes), Qlik Cloud (SaaS)	Open-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
Pricing	Commercial (proprietary). Free trial available.	Commercial. Qlik Sense Enterprise is subscription (by user or capacity). Qlik Sense Desktop free for personal use.	Open source (GPL-3.0)
Cost	$$$$	$$$$	$
Git Integration
CI/CD & Testing
Real-time
AI Features
Visual to Code
DAG-Based

Target Users & Use-Cases

Each BI tool is designed with specific user personas in mind.

Holistics

Data teams (analytics engineers)Business users exploring defined dataData-driven organizations

Qlik Sense

Enterprise BI usersData analystsGoverned self-service users

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

Development experience directly impacts team productivity and time-to-value.

Holistics

3/5

Qlik Sense

4/5

Visivo

5/5

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools.

Holistics

SQL databases (Snowflake, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, etc.). dbt integration: Yes – can import dbt models and exposures, aligning Holistics model with dbt transforms.SQL databases (SnowflakeBigQueryPostgreSQLetc.). dbt integration: Yes – can import dbt models and exposuresaligning Holistics model with dbt transforms.

Qlik Sense

Multiple data sources via connectorsPython/R Server Side ExtensionsWeb APIs and databases

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

Visualization Capabilities

The ability to create compelling visualizations is key to data storytelling.

Holistics

Combines a code-based 'data modeling layer' with a drag/drop UI for end users. Data team defines datasets, dimensions, measures in YAML (or UI), then business users create charts by selecting those fields. Visualization options cover common needs (charts, pivots) with moderate customization. Focus is on accuracy & consistency over flashy visuals.

Qlik Sense

Powerful interactive visuals with unique associative filtering: all charts update with each selection, and show gray 'excluded' values to encourage discovery. Chart types cover most needs, and extension mechanism allows custom charts. Good formatting control but primarily via UI (no raw HTML/CSS editing).

Visivo

Highly custom UI with easy defaults

Detailed Differentiators

Each platform's unique strengths and limitations.

Holistics

Unified metrics layer: define once in code, use anywhere – similar to LookML but using SQL and a simpler DSL. This ensures a single source of truth across charts.

Requires data modeling effort upfront; not as plug-and-play. Smaller community (less third-party resources than bigger tools).

Qlik Sense

The Associative Engine is Qlik's hallmark – users can freely explore data without query limitations (no SQL needed when using the app). Great for uncovering relationships in data.

Requires data to be loaded into memory for full power, which can be heavy. Learning Qlik's script and the "set analysis" syntax for expressions has a learning curve.

Visivo

BI-as-code approach enables version control, collaboration, and CI/CD workflows. DAG-based architecture provides powerful data transformation capabilities and dependency management. Seamless visual-to-code workflow allows both technical and non-technical users to build dashboards effectively.

Requires understanding of data concepts; not a pure drag-and-drop tool like Tableau. Initial setup requires technical knowledge for optimal configuration.

Security & Architecture

Critical considerations for enterprise deployments.

Holistics

DB Access: Yes, queries run on your DB. Optionally can cache query results in its warehouse for speed. Virtualization: Holistics does not store data long-term; it queries live or caches in temp tables. Push: No, it's pull (with ability to schedule cache refresh). Other: Supports row-level security definitions in the modeling layer; robust role-based view permissions.

Qlik Sense

DB Access: Typically Qlik imports data into its engine (so not needed at runtime). The new Direct Query option (in Qlik Cloud) allows leaving data in DB and querying on interaction for huge data sets. Virtualization: Qlik's standard method is not virtualization but in-memory copies. However, with Direct Query it behaves virtually. Push: Data is pushed into Qlik via load scripts (you schedule reloads). Other: Strong security – Section Access to implement row-level security inside Qlik apps, and robust user access control on the server.

Visivo

No db access required. Very strong security features due to the DAG-based access controls and the push based deployment model.

Why Visivo Stands Out

While each platform has its strengths, Visivo offers unique advantages for modern data teams.

DAG-Based Architecture for complex data transformations

Visual to Human-readable Code conversion

Multiple development approaches for all skill levels

AI-Powered dashboard creation

Full Git integration and version control

Open-source with enterprise features

Ready to Experience Modern BI?

Try Visivo today and see how it transforms your data analytics workflow.

$ curl -fsSL https://visivo.sh | bash

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